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Matt Biers-Ariel wonders what God must be thinking about the Middle East peace process---deadlocked over the piece of real estate that has held the hope for peace throughout the world. He suggests that if the two sides can only use these sacred sites to incite conflict, the temple mount should be returned to its original form as a field.

Oil & Politics -- NPR's Kathleen Schalch reports that both presidential candidates, George W. Bush and Al Gore, say the U.S. needs to reduce its dependence on foreign oil. Bush would like to see the U.S. boost domestic production, while Gore tends to focus on conservation measures. But experts are skeptical. They say even if the U.S. boosts domestic production substantially, it wouldn't be enough to influence the price of oil. And there are doubts about how much the nation's energy appetite can be reduced through conservation.

Alan Cheuse reviews a new novel by New Hampshire writer Ernest Hebert, who takes us back in time to the mid-eighteenth century during the French and Indian Wars. The book is called The Old American. (University Press of New England)

Noah talks with LAPD detective Gil Escontrias about the rash of spandex robberies. Detective Escontrias says armed gangs have been stealing the yarn and bolts of the synthetic fabric from textile mills. Last year, over $2 million dollars worth was stolen in Los Angeles. He says the yarn is worth 6 times that of other fibers, so it's easy to find buyers who don't care where it came from. He notes that underpaid textile employees are targeted by thieves looking for access to the material.

NPR's Jack Speer reports on the strain the tight labor market is putting on some employers in highly competitive industries. With the unemployment rate at a three-decade low, companies are feeling a hiring crunch.

David D'Arcy reports on the current boom of movies about artists. And these aren't obscure art-house pieces; the trend is being led by the New York Film Festival. From Jackson Pollock to Cuban poets, the arts are getting their moment on screen.

Host Bob Edwards talks to with Steve Erlanger in Belgrade about the overnight news from Yugoslavia, where public celebrations continue after yesterday's storming of the capitol's Parliamentary buildings and President Milosevic's overthrow.

NPR's Larry Abramson reports on an election you may not be aware of, although its impact will stretch across all borders. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers is holding on-line elections for its at-large board members. The group registers domain names, and settles disputes between competing claims. Their decisions will shape the next phase of the internet.

Host Bob Edwards talks with Misha Glenny about the latest developments in Belgrade. Opposition leaders are calling for the newly-elected parliament to begin meeting soon in an orderly transfer of power after yesterday's riots.

The clearest area of agreement between the candidates is on the states that matter most in this election. A handful of populous states, most of them in the upper Midwest, appear to hold the balance of power between the parties in this year's race for the White House. Yesterday, both major party nominees were in Ohio. Today it was Michigan. NPR's Anthony Brooks reports.